Allen West makes claim about Democrats in Communist party
MARTIN COUNTY — U.S. Rep. Allen West told about 90 largely supportive
Palm City voters Tuesday that locally prioritized federal projects —
such as the St. Lucie Inlet dredging — aren't going to matter if
Washington officials don't address a mounting deficit.
Later Tuesday evening, a Jensen Beach crowd of 100 with more than 15
protesters greeted the congressman with mixed support, cheers and jeers.
The conservative tea party icon also got in shots at Democrats and
President Obama, who spoke Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University. West
said Obama was "scared" to have a discussion with him. He later said
"he's heard" up to 80 U.S. House Democrats are Communist Party members,
but wouldn't name names.
At the first of two campaign town-hall events in Martin County on
Tuesday, the Plantation Republican told a New Hope Fellowship Church
crowd it'd be disingenuous to pretend he knows everything about the
area, but said he supports local projects like inlet dredging. But he
contended that big national issues, such as gas prices, turn out to be
the most important locally.
"I understand everything about the (St. Lucie) Inlet. I already
represent 70 to 75 miles of coastline. Plenty of inlets, plenty of
ports. I got it," West said. "I understand about the (St. Lucie) river
situation. I understand about (Lake) Okeechobee. But it won't mean a
hill of beans if the United States of America goes from $15.6 trillion
in debt to $26 trillion in debt."
West then addressed a riled-up crowd of 100 at the Jensen Beach
Community Center in his bid for a St. Lucie-Martin-northern Palm Beach
congressional district. Occupy Martin County, an anti-tea party group
named Credo Super PAC and another anti-West group named Stand Up Florida
picketed outside, and shouted out questions and remarks during the
event. Supporters responded out loud to naysayers' remarks about
divisive topics, from women's abortion rights to proposed Medicare
cost-cutting measures.
West and Democrat Patrick Murphy — both fundraisers in the millions —
left Broward County to run for the seat. Martin County Sheriff
Robert Crowder
will take on West in a GOP primary as the local candidate, and
Democrats Jim Horn of Palm City and Jerry Buechler of Port St. Lucie
also are in the running.
Addressing the debt is overwhelmingly important, Crowder said, but
there are huge impacts on safety and the economy when the inlet isn't
dredged and local projects go unaddressed by the feds.
"We can't be expanding the debt, but you're going to have to have a balance," Crowder said.
West reiterated many conservative stances he recited last week in
front of St. Lucie County voters — against leeway for food stamp users,
pro-domestic drilling and pro-tax cuts for high earners, for example. He
also berated Obama, who spoke in Boca Raton to FAU students about
ending millionaire tax breaks.
"I really wish that, standing here before you, was Allen West and
President Obama," West said. "We could have a simple discussion. But
that ain't ever gonna happen."
"Why not?" an audience member asked.
"Cuz he was too scared!" West responded in a mocking voice.
West said he's met the president once very briefly at a White House holiday party.
Murphy, who just announced his campaign will be headquartered in Palm
Beach Gardens, said the West statement is just more grandstanding.
"The bottom line is, Allen West is trying to make it in the press
with comments that don't even make sense," Murphy said. "He's trying to
make headlines, get a rise out of people and not get anything done."
Freshman Rep. Allen West (R-FL) claimed at a town hall meeting that about 80 members of Congress are communists, a remark which has drawn quick fire from opponents.
"I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the democratic party that are members of the communist party," West told supporters at a town hall meeting in Jensen Beach, FL. He was responding to a question by a participant who asked, "what percentage of the American legislature do you think are card carrying Marxists?"
Asked to respond to the comments, West spokeswoman Angela Marvin told NBC News that the Congressman was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
"The Congressman was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus," Marvin said in a written statement. "The Communist Party has publicly referred to the Progressive Caucus as its allies."
"The Progressive Caucus speaks for itself," Marvin continued, "These individuals certainly aren't proponents of free markets or individual economic freedom."
West's office also referred to a post on the website for the Communist Party USA where it says they made a mistake by turning "away from our allies in Congress, the Progressive Caucus, and John Conyers" during their fight for a single-payer system being included in Obama's health care law.
This isn't the first time West, whom conservatives cite often as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney, has criticized a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In January of last year, West criticized Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Rep Keith Ellison (D-MN) as "someone that really does represent the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established" because he is a practicing Muslim.
PolitiFact will be fact-checking West's claim about how many -- if any -- Democrats in Congress are Communists.
Congressman says 80 fellow lawmakers are communists
Freshman Rep. Allen West (R-FL) claimed at a town hall meeting that about 80 members of Congress are communists, a remark which has drawn quick fire from opponents.
"I believe there's about 78 to 81 members of the democratic party that are members of the communist party," West told supporters at a town hall meeting in Jensen Beach, FL. He was responding to a question by a participant who asked, "what percentage of the American legislature do you think are card carrying Marxists?"
Asked to respond to the comments, West spokeswoman Angela Marvin told NBC News that the Congressman was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
"The Congressman was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus," Marvin said in a written statement. "The Communist Party has publicly referred to the Progressive Caucus as its allies."
"The Progressive Caucus speaks for itself," Marvin continued, "These individuals certainly aren't proponents of free markets or individual economic freedom."
West's office also referred to a post on the website for the Communist Party USA where it says they made a mistake by turning "away from our allies in Congress, the Progressive Caucus, and John Conyers" during their fight for a single-payer system being included in Obama's health care law.
This isn't the first time West, whom conservatives cite often as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney, has criticized a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. In January of last year, West criticized Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Rep Keith Ellison (D-MN) as "someone that really does represent the antithesis of the principles upon which this country was established" because he is a practicing Muslim.
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